Supreme Court seems divided over obstruction charge in Jan. 6 case that may impact Trump, rioters [View all]

Source: Washington Post

Supreme Court seems divided over obstruction charge in Jan. 6 case that may impact Trump, rioters

Updated 35 min ago

The Supreme Court seemed deeply divided Tuesday over a challenge to a federal law that prosecutors used to charge more than 350 people who were part of the pro-Donald Trump mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Several conservatives expressed concern about giving prosecutors broad power that they suggested would allow the government to target peaceful protesters or hecklers who disrupt a court proceeding. Other justices seemed to back the government, while some were interested in finding a way to limit the government’s discretion to apply the statute in a way that might still allow the Jan. 6 cases to proceed.

Defense lawyers say prosecutors improperly stretched the law, which was enacted after the exposure of massive fraud and the shredding of documents during the collapse of the energy giant Enron. More that 100 rioters have already been convicted and sentenced under the charge, and two of the four charges Trump faces in D.C. are related to the statute.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2024/04/16/supreme-court-jan-6-obstruction-case-trump-rioters/